A UK university's released a study proving what any car salesman's ever told us, women judge men primarily by wealth and status, digging guys in expensive cars more than those driving an econobox.

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The survey, run by researchers at the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff, claims it shows women rate a man higher if he is behind the wheels of a "fancy motor rather than in an old banger." The University team showed women pictures of the same man sitting in two cars — a $100,000 silver Bentley Continental and a battered Ford Fiesta.

The women, aged between 21 to 40, picked the man sitting in the Bentley ahead of the same man in the Ford.

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The researchers say findings confirmed women judge a man by his wealth and status, but men tested in the same way are not impressed by whatever car a woman drives. But guys, don't go running off to throw a copy of this study into your significant others' face as the same researchers also determined men judge their choice purely on a woman's face and figure.

Dr Michael Dunn, who worked on the study, claims: "Females focus on questions of wealth and status because if the male possesses those, that male would be in a better condition to rear healthy offspring."

So in other words, do middle-aged men in expensive cars seem more attractive to women despite their grey hair and expanding waistline? Dr Dunn admits yes, but also that his research could be interpreted as evidence that women are shallower than men. He claims: "Let's face it - there's evidence to support it." We always knew it.